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about
One of my artistic goals is to make black holiday music. Here's the latest entry
lyrics
Intro
When it’s Kwanzaa time this is how we get down
A quick lesson from the godfather James Brown
To be a funky band this is how it’s done
Think of every instrument just like a drum
Like a drum, that’s how it’s done
Every instrument is a drum
The beats got to come back to where it came from
So, matter what you play you land on the one
ONE, two, three, four
ONE, two, three, four
A funky phenomenon that’s real simple
You meet on the one to set the tempo
Each drum plays its own rhythm and its own tone
But no matter what you play you find your way home
To the one, that means it’s syncopated
We stay on the same beat because the one’s anticipated
Latin word for one is uni, root word of unity
add “com” (Latin for “together”) you have community
Umoja is unity in Swahili
root word is moja or “one” what we’re saying really is
chorus
December 26th, before the year is done
we celebrate Kwanzaa and the family comes
funky syncopation of a black nation like a drum
it’s Umoja, we land on the one
verse 1
our powers momentous we have consensus lets be one
we can’t afford not be on one accord lets be one
whattup kid, you locked down doing a bid? love is one
Nas was talking Umoja we are one
With community and family, we are one
Contributions to black institutions all are one
Three sixty-five days, Frankie Beverly and maize we are one
No matter what they say Umoja keep it on the one
Verse 2
No matter what they’ve tried we remain unified as one
It’s the place to be, in true harmony as one
Take what’s ours, fight the power Public Enemy Number One
they fear a Black Planet Umoja we are one
principles make us invincible when applied as one
bond like cement two or three touch in agreement as one
we can’t lose, nation under a groove is one
that’s what George Clinton said Umoja we are one
verse 3
why really say it in Swahili? To be one
with diaspora that’s wide and spectacular but one
We unify, U-N-I-T-Y as one
Latifah talking Umoja so let’s be one
When it bumps in your trunk remember the funk is ‘bout the one
If we resist, five fingers make a fist we are one
Say it Loud Black and Proud, James put it on the one
The JB’s were Umoja and we put it on the one
Bridge
Farmers with their green thumb plant your foot on the one
Athletes on the run sweat it out on the one
Find your groove where you begun so come back to the one
Writers when your story is spun bring it back to the one
Business making those funds make sure to spend it on the one
Every trip around the sun we come back to the one
credits
from The Watermelon Man,
released August 1, 2020
Written, produced, mixed and mastered by Bomani Armah
Lead vocals, keys and percussion: Bomani Armah
Vocals: Ka'Ba Akintunde
Drums: Kweku Sumbry
Bass: David White
Organ: Earl Schaeffer Jr.
Trombone: Ayanna Gallant
Saxophone: Darnley Hodge Jr.
Trumpet: Corey McPherson
Guitar: Mark Hatcher
Mastered by William Vaughan IV
